By Awowale Ayomide
God has predetermined a man’s nationality, race, sex, and even the location of one’s birth. You are a wonderful gift for someone, somewhere, sometime, and someday. God has given everybody an assignment on this planet earth and that assignment cannot be fulfilled if you are not constantly communicating with God. Prayer is the only link you have with God. There will be times while working on your assignment when you feel completely cut off from the people you care about. You are the one on a mission and not your family members, and it requires the anointing of God to send you on your way.
A key component of many spiritual traditions in history has been the practice of prayerful isolation. The concept of prayer isolation involves separation from others, retreating from the outside world to find spiritual nourishment and a closer relationship with God. In Matthew 6: 5-8, Jesus taught his disciples to not be like the hypocrites who stand at the synagogues and the street corner to be seen by men. A believer’s access to an effective channel of communication that provides uninterrupted time with God is isolation prayer. In order to acquire the utmost level of connection with God, it is frequently necessary to withdraw from life’s distractions.
“And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed (Luke 5:16).”
Dear readers, there is no running away from the Lord. Being in solitude with God is when God reveals His presence, His purpose, His promises and his plans for your life. Christians should pray because it is effective in every situation and stage of life.
Isolating yourself to seek God’s face can be sometimes difficult because we are out in the sun bustling and hustling for daily bread, but Jesus has shown us that praying is important. Jesus Christ himself spent the night in prayer when he faced a difficult decision in selecting his disciples. In order not to be distracted in your periods of isolation, believers are advised to find a suitable location, set a schedule and use resources that will help focus more in God’s presence.
Seasons of prayerful isolation are periods of intentional, solitary prayer and reflection that can be a powerful way to deepen one’s relationship with God. On this note, I joyfully declare to you and your loved ones that ‘Isolation is not a death sentence’ but a potent channel of communication with God. While waiting on Him with a heart of faith and lips crying out in prayer, He will reach out and save you, just as He did for Peter.